To hear Sean Barth talk about student volunteers for Alternative Spring Break, click here.

Abby Dehner said her mom jokes around and tells her to go somewhere fun next year for Spring Break.

This year, Dehner is participating in Alternative Spring Break through the Newman Catholic Center.

Dehner, a junior elementary education major, said she participated her freshman year and had a good time, so she signed up again this year. She said she likes volunteering, and this is a good way to get involved.

“I’m not into the whole Spring Break scene,” Dehner said.

She said she went to Oklahoma her freshman year and worked with the Cherokee Nation Head Start Program. During this, she said she helped in the classrooms, played with the kids, cleaned the grounds and made copies for the teachers.

Dehner said she picked that program because she wanted to do something related to her major.

This year, Dehner said she is going to Kansas City, Mo., to work with inner-city kids in an after-school program.

This is just one of the nine different sites offered for Alternative Spring Break.

Sean Barth, coordinator for Alternative Spring Break, said a lot goes into planning the different trips.

He said they starts planning for the trips almost a year ahead because it’s competitive to get into the different sites.

Barth said after they have the sites set, they start getting publicity together.

“We get flyers and brochures out right before Christmas Break so they can take them home over break,” Barth said.

After the publicity is set, Barth said they find site-leaders who act as group leaders for each site and take charge in case of emergencies.

Barth said all the groups drive to the different Alternative Spring Break sites. This means about a nine-hour drive for those volunteering in Canada, and about 13 hours for those volunteering in Florida or Philadelphia.

Barth said volunteer opportunities vary from site to site.

He said those going to Florida would be working with nature to restore the area they are staying in. He said the volunteers would be camping out all week and helping to maintain the trails.

For those going to Canada, Barth said they will be working with developmentally-disabled adults, and those going to Glen Mary Farm in northeastern Kentucky will work with the homeless.

Volunteers going to Glen Mary Farm will have to choose one day all week to shower because the program wants the volunteers to embrace the lifestyle for the homeless as much as possible, Barth said.

He added they also are not allowed to bring cell phones, watches or iPods for that same reason.

Barth said they would also have a student coming from another university with them because his girlfriend is going. He added they also have a woman who is almost 60-years old volunteering as well.

Sara Cuadrado can be reached at 581-7942 or at slcuadrado@eiu.edu.